Home Insurance in Marion County, Iowa
With a median home value of $233,000, Marion County is 12% higher than the Iowa median.
The typical home in Marion County was built around 1975. About 30% of homes were built before 1960, about 8 points below Iowa's 38%. Because older housing stock often has aging wiring, roofing or plumbing, it can cost more to insure or rebuild.
The housing stock in Marion County is 81% single-family homes, 9% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 5% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
In Marion County, about 59% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
Marion County has an owner-occupancy rate of 78% and a vacancy rate of 7%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. 60% of homes in Marion County are primarily heated with natural gas.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, Marion County's top hazards are tornado (Relatively Moderate), hail (Relatively Low) and wildfire (Very Low).
As of September 2026, Marion County has 9 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
In Iowa, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,342 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $233,000 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1975 |
| Owner-occupied share | 78% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 59% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Tornado (Relatively Moderate), Hail (Relatively Low), Wildfire (Very Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 9 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,342 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)